New Doctor Who Star To Be Announced This Weekend

The next Doctor Who is going to be announced on Sunday. Ever since Peter Capaldi announced that he was leaving the long-running BBC sci-fi show there’s been immense speculation about who his successor might be. This is not only a new face – the thirteenth official incarnation of the Time Lord – but also the start of a new run of the series under showrunner Chris Chibnall. Beyond that though, there’s a lot of fan expectation for a major switch up after recent seasons have heavily teased the possibility of a gender swap.

Despite all the clamor for information, actual facts have been rather thin on the ground, with the casting being kept even more quiet than usual. Director of the Christmas special Rachel Talalay, which will end with the regeneration, says even she doesn’t know. However, we’re all going to find out very soon.

In an advert during their Wimbledon coverage, the BBC announced that they will be revealing the actor after the Men’s Final on July 16th, this Sunday. That match starts at 2pm, and could end anytime between 4pm and 7pm, depending on game length. The advert has since been made available online via the official Doctor Who Twitter.

The teaser is just that. It opens on a remote trig point with the TARDIS key resting on it before cycling through major landmarks – 10 Downing Street, the white cliffs of Dover, Statue of Liberty – all adorned with the number “13” before the key vanishes in a spurt of electricity and the text “Meet the 13th Doctor after the Wimbledon Men’s Final Sunday 16th July” appears on screen.

This is rather surprising news. While the announcement of a new Doctor tends to come the summer before a Christmas regeneration (to allow them to shoot the next season in the Fall) and it had been confirmed back in June an actor has been cast, that there would be a reveal has been kept very quiet. Doing it after the Wimbledon final, one of the biggest sporting events of the year, is a very strong choice and one bound to make it an event regardless of who’s ultimately chosen.

The current favorite for the part is Kris Marshall, who has been reportedly in very close talks, while other names with popular betting odds include Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Jodie Whittaker. Because of the uncertainty over whether we’ll get a female Doctor – reports vary on whether the BBC wants to return to the Matt Smith style or move in a different direction – it’s hard to come down on either side. Going into Capaldi’s reveal in 2013, he was a firm favorite though, so whoever’s topping the odds (currently Marshall) going into Sunday is probably the safest bet.